Live on Air

Multi-Site Networking Reduces Costs and Creates Lots of Benefits

After Arvato Systems and Qvest Media have already implemented the media asset management system VPMS at the Potsdam site, the Berlin-based rbb team is now able to enjoy the benefits of file-based, networked digital production.

Customer Benefits

VPMS creates a solid foundation for collaborative working within rbb

Users can easily view, edit and manage files from all linked editorial

Journalists and craft editors all have access to material during ingest

Publishing of content directly to the Mediathek

A VPMS interface provides access to material for rbb radio

Networked approach allows log in at any site and to all media assets

VPMS is used in almost all areas of production. The homogeneous structure makes it easier to share media files and makes working across multiple locations more flexible.

Wolfram Klemmer | Chief Engineer and Head of System

rbb

Project Overview

Background Situation

The existing rbb MAM system was nearing the end of its life and needed to be updated. For this reason, the broadcaster sought for a technological reorientation: from a new studio, to the conversion from SD to HD and to numerous new workflows and software systems with an integrated video production system.

Vision

rbb wanted to implement a multi-site networked system which would allow fast access to content from all production workstations. Automated load balancing across two sites, ensuring redundancy and high performance across the system, was an important requirement. At the same time, it was envisaged that VPMS components would carry out resource intensive processes site-specifically. This architecture was designed to ensure that users would be able to continue working, using the secondary site, during maintenance operations or in the case of component failure.

Solution

Arvato Systems linked the central VPMS to new and existing production hardware and, using a range of powerful interfaces, integrated it with multiple heterogeneous third party systems including Avid Interplay, EVS Video server and Annova’s OpenMedia. This included a wide range of video and audio formats as well as various production workflows. Load balancing, used for example in video transcoding, was implemented as desired by the customer.

The Customer

The Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) is the local television broadcaster of Berlin and Brandenburg. The broadcaster operates out of two primary sites, as well as studios in Cottbus and Frankfurt/Oder and regional bureaus in Perleberg and Prenzlau. Along with the WDR, rbb holds responsibility for the ARD Hauptstadtstudio (capital city studios) in Berlin.